...sorry...another build thread...

[#S194]

Jon, make sure you check your caster as well. I have mine set at about 5.5 degrees and it tracks and steers pretty well.

 

[XJensen]

I have two 3 foot levels and use Kevin's method. I keep the wheels on if I'm lazy.

I have a digital angle finder if you want to check that caster

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Caster readings might not be accurate reading off the ball joint. I brought the upper in a ton and it helped a ton. Drives really good now. It was probably caster all along. Well and ball joints and trackbar heims and bad toe in. I threw the sway bar back on and that helped a bit too.

Big thanks to Don for coming over and helping . Its a big sanity check to have a second set of eyes .


Going to drop a few more psi in the tires and add a little more caster and cal it done.

 

[#S194]

The top of the ball joint works, but somtimes its hard to get a good reading off it depending on your angle finder, I used a flat spot on the bottom of my driver's side knuckle. Don't forget to take into account the slope of the driveway/garage (if applicable) if your Jeep is sitting on all fours.

 

[rockclimber]

green lactate

you may want to see a medical professional regarding this...

The top of the ball joint works, but somtimes its hard to get a good reading off it depending on your angle finder, I used a flat spot on the bottom of my driver's side knuckle. Don't forget to take into account the slope of the driveway/garage (if applicable) if your Jeep is sitting on all fours.

he has a 44 front. the bottom of the knuckle isn't like ours.

 

[#S194]

you may want to see a medical professional regarding this...




he has a 44 front. the bottom of the knuckle isn't like ours.

I've got a 44 as well, running a Reid knuckle on the driver's side. It has a good-sized flat spot on the bottom, nice and convenient for checking caster.

 

[twinhauler]

Glad its driving better. I am getting my spicer ball joints in this week.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Its still not driving like the WJ or the MJ does, but I don't think it ever will drive like that again. but I can safely go 65MPH now - so thats all I want.

last night after working on my parents 4runner all day I decided to add some more caster and it did not seem to drive quite as well, so I backed the upper off a bit back to where it was. I can live with it as it is now.

 

[Jeep450r]

Good to hear man. Glad you got it mostly worked out!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

of course now the WJ has horrible DW above 70mph.

if its not one thing its another.


WJ:
going to replace the stabilizer and plate the frame, RUFFSTUFF weld washers over the wallowed out rtackbar holes, and that should do it. also need to dial in caster and toe , as well as check out control arm bushings

 

[XJensen]

Dang that suck dude. Hope you get it all fixed soon.

Glad to hear the death wagon is driving straight again

 

[cal]

you have that nice WJ.
you have a trail heep.

2/3 of the equation down, now you just need a trailer...

 

[Mike1331]

I second that/\

 

[831_xj]

you have that nice WJ.
you have a trail heep.

2/3 of the equation down, now you just need a trailer...

Don't forget the MJ lol

 

[blondejoncherokee]

you have that nice WJ.
you have a trail heep.

2/3 of the equation down, now you just need a trailer...

The WJ had horrible DW at like 70mph yesterday. Scared the living crap out of me. Usually when the XJ would get it, it wouldnt be able to drive over 35mph before it came on so I wouldnt have to worry about getting DW at 70mph. that was messed up.

I am going to plate the frame rail inside and out, plate the tracker mount, and build a across frame rail brace for the trackbar mount and a second to add additional support to the front end.
I willl also weld up some weld washers from ruffstuff over the wallowed out trackbar mount at the frame.And add some adjustable uppers and checkout the lower bushings for wear.
I have new ball joints for it waiting to go in as well.
And as a band aid it will also get a new beefy stabilizer from Kevins offroad.
I also need to dial in caster after all of that.
Thats just the WJ list of things to do this week, the XJ has its own list involving roll cage work and adding in harness mounts.




I plan to get a trailer and a tow rig eventually.
Do people really tow a trailer with a WJ?
My XJ probably weighs more than the WJ.


The WJ doesn't seem to be solid enough to tow with but maybe a better rear end and some more suspension work to stiffen up the thing.

 

[831_xj]

The wj has a really short wheelbase I wouldn't feel too comfortable towing a 1500-200lb trailer and 4.5-6k xj.

Suburbans are plentiful and so are 1500/2500 and prices are decent. Find a beater with decent miles Imo

 

[blondejoncherokee]

The wj has a really short wheelbase I wouldn't feel too comfortable towing a 1500-200lb trailer and 4.5-6k xj.

Suburbans are plentiful and so are 1500/2500 and prices are decent. Find a beater with decent miles Imo

I plan to eventually get a long bed extra cab or double cab F250.

What year is your suburban? I liked that one.

 

[831_xj]

02 2500 with the 8.1L gasser

 

[cal]

WJ, assuming its a 4.7L, is rated to tow 6500 pounds.

My XJ in full race trim weighs 4880, and my trailer weighs 1100.

I have a friend that competes eurotrial with a 4.0L XJ in the Czech Republic. His tow rig is a 2.5L diesel XJ.

WJ would be a dream to those guys

 

[zachandandy]

We flat towed a 67 wagoneer from cool to patterson with the wj, pulled just fine. You could feel the weight back there, but it wasn't in the list bit scary. I'll ever understand the comments about the towed load weighing more than the tow rig, pulled over 12k lbs with the f250 like it wasn't even back there and the f250 weighed about 7500lbs.